WEYBURN — Eleven community organizations in the Weyburn area received a total of $68,000 in community grants from the Weyburn Credit Union on Thursday evening, as part of their annual barbecue event.
Originally slated to be held outdoors, it was moved into Exhibition Hall due to the weather, and featured a barbecue, children’s games and activities, a concert by Weyburn’s own Brayden King, along with the announcement of the community grant recipients by board member Matt Caudill and Tana Torkelson, vice-president of marketing.
The Wheatland Seniors Centre received $5,000 to help refinish the floor of their activities room.
The Weyburn Therapeutic Animal Park received $4,000 towards enhancing the signage for the park to help let everyone know where they are located. The signage will include a new billboard, new donation signs and boxes.
The Brokenshell Parks and Recreation board received $8,000 to add an exterior ramp and interior wheelchair lift for Trossachs Hall, to help make it more accessible for everyone.
The Weyburn Trails Society received $4,000 to help make their trails system more inclusive for everyone who would like to use them, with the funds to go towards signage and trail expansion.
The Weyburn Special Olympics, including coaches and athletes, received a grant of $3,303 towards new bowling shirts for their athletes to wear at competitions.
The Tatagwa Kidz Care, located at Tatagwa View, received $4,000 to help enhance their learning environment, including a portable hand-washing sink, new gate system and new change station.
The Town of Yellow Grass received a grant of $10,000 towards a new play structure for Allen Park.
The Weyburn Golf Club received $7,500 towards a new irrigation system on their back nine holes. The club had put in a new irrigation system on the front nine in 2021.
The Souris Valley Daycare Inc. received $2,500 towards a new sensory wall and play space to help provide engaging play centre that support physical, social and emotional growth.
The Yellow Grass School Community Council received $6,000 to help with the purchase of three metal picnic tables, for a new outdoor space that will be accessible both for students and for the entire community.
Oungre Memorial Regional Park received $10,000 towards a project of replacing the diving boards in their pool.
The grants come out of the Credit Union’s Community Fund, which was established to help support and develop sustainable programs and projects that enhance communities.
Each year, the Credit Union allocates a portion of their profits into the Community Fund; local community groups are then able to apply for funding for programs and projects. To be considered, projects must have a far-reaching, positive impact on the community and should be self-sustainable.
Requests of $2,500 or more depend on the scope and scale of the project, and the anticipated impact on the community and surrounding areas is assessed by an evaluation committee comprised of WCU staff, management and directors.
The focus of Weyburn Credit Union's Community Fund are on sponsorship opportunities that align with the Credit Union's goals, priorities, and core values by contributing to community in a meaningful way.